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Backcountry Magazine | The Untracked ExperienceThu, 08 Dec 2016 22:31:21 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1Mountain Skills: Social Media vs. Snow Safetyhttp://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/mountain-skills-social-media-vs-snow-safety/
http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/mountain-skills-social-media-vs-snow-safety/#commentsThu, 08 Dec 2016 15:58:44 +0000http://backcountrymagazine.com/?p=14847Given the prevalence of social media in our lives, it can be difficult to filter out the good information from the bad, and it’s important to remember that social media is a small snapshot of a greater picture. While there can be negative consequences from reacting to this medium, there are also positive takeaways. Here is how to use it to your advantage in the backcountry.

Given the prevalence of social media in our lives, it can be difficult to filter out the good information from the bad, and it’s important to remember that social media is a small snapshot of a greater picture. While there can be negative consequences from reacting to this medium, there are also positive takeaways. Here is how to use it to your advantage in the backcountry.

Reich makes her way down a visibly wind-affected slope in Grand Teton National Park. [Photo] Morgan McGlashon

The Statistics

It’s no secret that we live in a digital society. News comes to us, and the content we consume is a carefully calculated algorithm of what we want to see. Facebook boasts over 1.79 billion monthly active Facebook users, who generate 4.5 billion likes daily. Instagram users have shared over 40 billion photos to date and share an average of 95 million photos and videos per day.

The implications of social media’s reach extend into the backcountry, too. Studies suggest that social proof heuristic—the tendency to believe that a behavior is correct to the extent that other people are engaged in it—is a central factor in social media and backcountry travel behavior. Avalanche expert and former Director of the Utah Avalanche Center Bruce Tremper writes in his book, Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, that he considers this factor to be one of the major causes of avalanche accidents. Amplify that by the amount of content we ingest on a powder day, and obvious red flags are explained away by the social proof that others have done it, and so it must be safe.

Choose Who You Follow

Keeping athletes and media influencers in your feeds certainly helps to get you ramped up, but adding your avalanche forecast center, guide service, local forecasters and ski patrol can paint a more well-rounded picture. The Utah Avalanche Center, American Avalanche Institute, Northwest Avalanche Center and Friends of CAIC all post continually throughout the winter, which offers a more cohesive understanding of what’s really going on and can help counteract negative social cues on your feed. Add a few well-known guides or snow professionals in your area to round out the mix. These professionals are typically out everyday and can provide reliable information on the day’s snow conditions and how the forecast might evolve and impact your backcountry experience.

Reich digs pits in the field to supplement her social media clues. [Photo] Morgan McGlashon

Reach Out Directly

Chances are, you know at least a few people behind the lens of those jealousy-inducing photos, so why not reach out to them directly and do a little fact finding about their trip? Ask questions: Where did they ski? What were conditions like? Is there anything they think you should be aware of? Were there any red flags as they were departing?

Make sure your sources are reliable, but know that you can find incredibly detailed feedback about conditions and snowpack from taking the time to ask. A quick text or call before solidifying your plan could mean the difference between a bad situation and a fun one. In return, being responsive to others who contact you for info in the future is a great practice as well.

Look for Obvious Clues

Take the time to examine social posts for clues about conditions. Is it a video? When you look at the snow in the photo, decide if anything jumps out at you immediately. For example, are there any signs of cracking in the snow around the skier? Can you see snow transport in the shot or evidence of high winds? Take advantage of the documentation from others to piece together the puzzle yourself.

There might be a wind crust when… [Photo] Rachel Reich

Read each caption carefully. Notice if the author posted any information regarding their experience. Most importantly, determine if the post is from today, this morning or the day before and then double check. Recycled social media posts—even those just a day old—aren’t good indicators of current conditions. Keep that in mind when making route plans and decisions for the day.

Gather Crowdsourced Information

If you have an idea of the line or general area where the media was shot, double check crowdsourcing apps or observations to verify your information. An emerging benefit of social media has led to crowdsourcing apps like MountainHub (formerly Avatech) that assimilate up-to-date and real-time information on what people are witnessing in their area. Before heading out, check to see if there’s any information on conditions in your intended zone. This can help in figuring out what conditions you might encounter, or if there’s any reason to alter the current plan before departing.

Regional Facebook groups or forums (like TGR’s) routinely provide threads of crowdsourced information as well, and sometimes they come complete with photos and colorful commentary. In these instances, keep in mind the credibility of your sources—usually, these aren’t snow professionals commenting, although you can still often learn from these posts.

Gathering beta on early season conditions in the Absaroka Range. [Photo] Rachel Reich

Contribute Yourself

Be a part of the social media solution and contribute to the conversation. If you land an epic shot, share additional information about the snow conditions and pits you dug, or highlight instabilities you noticed in the caption. Add field observations to forums, forecast center observations, MountainHub and Facebook groups when you get home. Sharing such knowledge is caring for friends.

Although social media gets a bad rap for influencing risk taking and questionable behavior, we can still learn from and utilize this medium for positive decision making. Following knowledgeable resources in your social feeds, reaching out directly to friends who have recently posted, looking for clues in relevant content and gathering reliable crowdsourced information are just a few of the ways we can use social media to our advantage in the backcountry. And remember the most important take away of all: things are rarely as perfect as they appear on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

Bottom Line: You can be a proactive part of your backcountry community by utilizing social media in positive and constructive ways. Although nothing takes the place of interacting directly with your local avalanche center and professionals, adding social media as an additional tool to dig for information can be helpful. On top of that, and most importantly, always make sure both you and your partners have the training, appropriate gear and knowledge of how to travel safely before embarking on any excursion.

—

Rachel Reich is a splitboard mountaineer and digital marketing strategist who has found her home in Jackson, Wyo. You can follow her adventures on Instagram at @theracheden.

]]>http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/mountain-skills-social-media-vs-snow-safety/feed/1Snowpack List: Avalanche assessments from around the U.S.: Week of December 4http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/snowpack-list-avalanche-assessments-around-u-s-week-december-4/
http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/snowpack-list-avalanche-assessments-around-u-s-week-december-4/#respondTue, 06 Dec 2016 17:37:29 +0000http://backcountrymagazine.com/?p=14837With heavy snowfall and high rates of early season stoke across the U.S., skiers and riders are more than motivated to get out and explore. And though it’s easy to get excited about a good start to the season, it’s important to remember that avalanches pay no heed to calendar dates.

]]>With heavy snowfall and high rates of early season stoke across the U.S., skiers and riders are more than motivated to get out and explore. And though it’s easy to get excited about a good start to the season, it’s important to remember that avalanches pay no heed to calendar dates.

Crested Butte Avalanche Center/Colorado Avalanche Information Center

Crested Butte, Colo. has received a few feet of snow over the past week. As a result, the Crested Butte Avalanche Center (CBAC) has listed the avy danger for Monday, December 5 as moderate near and above treeline with a rating of low avy danger below treeline. The main risk at this time is a large persistent slab that can be remotely triggered.

The CBAC reported on December 1 that one-to-two feet of new snow that fell on dirt is a factor in the persistent slab that can been seen this week in most zones. As they explained, “On more southerly and lower elevation slopes, this snow is consolidating onto dirt and grass, with few troublesome layers. Much more concerning is the new snow consolidating into a slab overlying old facets and crusts in higher elevation terrain, with the scariest and ugliest weak layers on the northern half of the compass. The potential for more unpredictable, widely propagating avalanche behavior remains. This includes remote triggering from a distance like the recent skier triggered avalanche on Red Lady Bowl. Beware of persistent slab avalanches on slopes steeper than 35º, convex rollovers, terrain near ridgelines, and near rocky outcrops.”

In addition to the persistent slab, the CBAC warns of a new windslab layer that might be triggered at higher elevations. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center similarly warns skiers and riders to beware of persistent slab near specific features, with most regions under their purview listed as having moderate avalanche danger near and above treeline.

Northwest Avalanche Center

Windslab is also a concern in the Pacific Northwest, with the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) warning of windloading near and above treeline for all regions under their purview. Avalanche danger has been set at moderate with the exception of the Mt. Hood zone that is listed at considerable.

“Watch for small, loose, dry avalanches near terrain traps like cliff bands where even small avalanches can have big consequences,” the NWAC recommends.

Utah Avalanche Center

A similar avalanche story can be told for the Wasatch, with the Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) warning of “moderate [avalanche danger] for all wind drifted slopes.” This heightened avalanche danger remains at higher elevations near and above treeline, and the UAC makes it clear that this instability is not limited to leeward slopes.

“Some drifts will be in the lee of sub-ridges and cross-loaded into gullies and beyond mid-slope break-overs,” they explain. When traveling in the backcountry, they suggest approaching steeper, pillowy areas with added caution.

Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center

In Montana, conditions are delicate, with 14 inches of new snow falling in the Cooke City/West Yellowstone, Southern Madison Range, and Southern Gallatin Range regions, raising the avalanche danger to high for all areas, both below and above treeline. And with added windloading, the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center (GNFAC) warns that human triggered avalanches are likely.

For more southern regions in Montana, the rating is listed as considerable above and moderate below treeline. The main instability is tied to an October rain crust with a persistent weak layer resting on top. In addition, surface slabs from recent wind are causing added dangers.

The GNFAC cautions, “Natural avalanches are possible at the higher elevations. Human triggered slab avalanches are likely in areas where surface slabs lie upon a well-developed weak layer and possible in steep terrain on a variety of aspects above an elevation of 7,500 feet.”

]]>http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/snowpack-list-avalanche-assessments-around-u-s-week-december-4/feed/0Across the Olympic Mountains: photographer Jason Hummel’s attempt to ski all of Washington’s named glaciershttp://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/across-olympic-mountains-photographer-jason-hummels-attempt-ski-off-washingtons-named-glaciers/
http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/across-olympic-mountains-photographer-jason-hummels-attempt-ski-off-washingtons-named-glaciers/#respondMon, 05 Dec 2016 16:08:48 +0000http://backcountrymagazine.com/?p=14790At heart, photographer Jason Hummel is a homebody. While the long-time contributor for Backcountry Magazine often travels globally, snapping shots of distant mountain ranges and athletic feats, his biggest project of late has been shooting and skimo-ing through his Washington home state's mountain ranges.

At heart, photographer Jason Hummel is a homebody. While the long-time contributor for Backcountry Magazine often travels globally, snapping shots of distant mountain ranges and athletic feats, his biggest project of late has been shooting and skimo-ing through his Washington home state’s mountain ranges.

To give focus to his wanderings, Hummel is attempting to ski all of the named glaciers found in Washington’s Cascade and Olympic Mountains, a whopping 213 in all—Washington is the second most glaciated state, after Alaska.

Since tackling 213 glaciers in one fell swoop is out of reach, Hummel’s been methodically working through different regions for a few years, keeping tally as he goes. On a trip this past spring, he headed to the Olympic Peninsula to check a few of the remote Washington glaciers of his list.

To learn more about this recent project, we caught up with Hummel, also featured in our December Photo Annual, to ask him about his motivations for this undertaking. Here is what he had to say in his own words.

Day 1: Tim Black scouting the way ahead from McCartney Peak.

On his motivation

I wanted to tie in all of the adventures that I’ve done in the Cascades; to intertwine all of those adventures into one theme. Also, I have been skiing for 215-220 months in a row now, and projects like this get me out when I don’t necessarily want to go and get me to places I don’t always focus on. It’s easy to fall into a pattern where you just do what you have always done. And I really needed to go to those places on the map that maybe weren’t the number-one destination. It’s kind of what my hope was in skiing all of these glaciers: to go out there and visit all of these remote places. Technically, there aren’t just the 213 glaciers—there are many more than that—but these are the major ones.

Reading shadows on Mt. Cameron. Olympic National Park, Washington

This Olympic trip was inspired by connecting these out-of-the-way glaciers. I searched for ways to link together locations and peaks that people normally just don’t ski. Even in Alaska, people have gear stashes every five or six days. Out here in the Olympics, there are no sleds; it all has to be on your back. When you’re out there, you are really out there. It is quite different than ski traverses are in other places.

Tim Black crosses Cameron Pass on the duo’s way into Lost Basin.

This is something I’ve been doing my whole life; these mountains are in my backyard. I came up with this idea a few years ago—to get out to places where no one has gone on skis. I want to experience adventures with an uncertain outcome. When you read about somebody who has done an adventure, you have preconceptions about what it is going to be like. So for me, it was great to go on adventures where I was pioneering new summits and traverses on skis. I like not knowing what the outcome might be, to turn question marks on the map into lifelong memories that brighten shady contours.

Day 4: Tim Black battles vine maple on the way to the base of the Eel Glacier.

On the environment

Another thing is that there are a lot of glaciers that are disappearing. There used to be some massive ones that are completely gone now. Some are disappearing as we speak, and there are some that I’ve skied in the past that are gone as well. It’s crazy to see all that change, so this project is a way for me to ski and see places while they’re still here and to appreciate them as they once were.

Day 5: Tim Black summits Mt. Anderson, the highest point in the north-to-south traverse, in a complete whiteout.

On challenges

Some of the experiences that I’ve encountered could keep me up all night telling stories around a fire.

When I was a kid, I grew up skiing in the backcountry with my dad and brothers. It’s quite different from how people learn to ski at a ski area. There are no chairlifts; we earned every turn.

One place that I have always had a connection to is Mt. Rainier, which had the most recorded snow in the world before Mt. Baker superseded it. And it’s a place that I’ve seen change a lot over the years. The Rainier Snowfields have regressed and melted back every summer. You see them go farther and farther up the slopes. The Nisqually Glacier has melted back over a mile.

Over the years, I’ve just seen the mountains evolve and change. These mountains still see a lot of snow, and there’s a lot of variation year to year, but I also see where the glaciers used to be in the summers. There are more terminal lakes that the melted glaciers have left behind; empty wastelands where ice used to be.

On Suffering

Mostly I was suffering on this trip. I had 20 lbs. of camera gear on my back. There was a total of something like 90 lbs. in my pack. It’s especially trying when you are bushwhacking below snow line.

Tim Black descends from camp on Flypaper Pass toward Anderson Glacier. The days ahead can be seen in the distance.

Often, the spring skiing in the Olympics can be incredible, but at times we get pollen that comes in, and it creates this black, sticky layer on the bottom of your skis that makes it incredibly difficult to ski. So after our first two days, we ran into that pollen, and it made it really difficult right off the bat for my partner Tim Black and myself. But a lot of times with these big ski traverses, even if the snow is really bad, you end up getting to these really cool places and peaks. On a trip like this, my focus changes from skiing to exploring and discovering summits and views. The snow quality is just a bonus.

Skiing toward Anderson Pass on the way to White Mountain.

On ski partners

I had a really difficult time finding people who were willing to go on a trip like this, because it wasn’t looking like the weather was going to be good. But also, people have 9-to-5 jobs, and it’s really hard to get people to take 10 or 12 days off if you don’t know how long the trip is going to take. Having that flexibility is a rarity. Most people want to ski a bunch of lines. Trying to get people into these adventures with a lot of question marks is difficult. With something like this, there is the potential that it may be the worst experience of your life. A lot of people want a hut trip in Canada where they ski pow lines all day long.

Going into the deep, green forest isn’t usually ideal, but when there’s a trail, the pain is minimized. Anderson Pass, Olympic National Park, Washington

But Tim Black went with me. He had just finished college, and he was able to get the time off. He’s a smart kid who has his stuff together. When you go into the mountains, it’s important to be organized and confident in your abilities. There’s not a lot of room for chance.

He knew his limits, as well, and I love traveling with people like that. He knew when to say no. It makes it easier for me, and so it was wonderful to have such an easy-going, put-together, smart person along for the adventure.

The final day: Starfished, exhausted and utterly content after an epic nine-day adventure across the Olympics.

]]>http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/across-olympic-mountains-photographer-jason-hummels-attempt-ski-off-washingtons-named-glaciers/feed/0Access Denied: New UDOT restrictions stir frustration in Little Cottonwood Canyonhttp://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/access-denied-new-udot-restrictions-stir-frustration-little-cottonwood-canyon/
http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/access-denied-new-udot-restrictions-stir-frustration-little-cottonwood-canyon/#respondFri, 02 Dec 2016 15:14:42 +0000http://backcountrymagazine.com/?p=14794On Monday, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) announced a new set of closure restrictions for Little Cottonwood Canyon and SR 210, the route that accesses Alta Ski Area and Snowbird Resort, as well as many go-to backcountry zones for Salt Lake City residents. The Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) reported the new restrictions on their website and explained that, due to user conflicts, the comprehensive closure of all backcountry zones the night before any planned UDOT avalanche control measures.

On Monday, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) announced a new set of closure restrictions for Little Cottonwood Canyon and SR 210, the route that accesses Alta Ski Area and Snowbird Resort, as well as many go-to backcountry zones for Salt Lake City residents. The Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) reported the new restrictions on their website and explained that, due to user conflicts, the comprehensive closure of all backcountry zones the night before any planned UDOT avalanche control measures.

New restrictions prohibit access to backcountry zones in the canyon between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., thus limiting early morning dawn patrol missions. And closures span the canyon from ridgeline to ridgeline. As the UAC explains, this means, “everything within 1 km of a target. This includes ridgelines and a portion of the backside.” And the consequences of breaking the rules are steep with violators being subject to arrest.

There has been an ongoing struggle to balance the needs of UDOT’s avalanche control work on the access road up Little Cottonwood Canyon and the desires of SLC’s backcountry community. These restrictions are motivated by the danger that backcountry skiers present if they are in the firing zone for any avalanche control work implemented by the state.

On his blog, Park City resident and renowned ski mountaineer Andrew McLean writes about some the causes and ramifications of this new policy.

“The road is controlled by artillery, which means that even a single backcountry skier can disrupt the shooting process by touring in a targeted zone, which will delay the road opening,” McLean explains. “As such, UDOT has now instituted a top-to-bottom, wall-to-wall backcountry closure on not only all of Little Cottonwood Canyon, but even a kilometer beyond the ridgeline in the overshoot area while they are controlling it.”

The UAC is clear in their desire to comply with these new restrictions that are meant to keep backcountry skiers out of harm’s way while perpetuating access for winter recreation along this corridor.

“If you don’t want your early-morning mountain therapy session to be shut down,” the UAC states in Monday’s report, “it would be wise to pay attention to UDOT activity this winter.”

And this winter “therapy” can continue, just after the hour of 8 a.m. when UDOT will be finished with their early morning avalanche mitigation work.

Below is a full list of the new UDOT restrictions as published on the UAC’s website.

In a typical storm scenario, all Little Cottonwood Canyon backcountry will be closed at 8 p.m. the evening before an anticipated 6:30 a.m. shoot. The most likely opening time will be 8 a.m.. This includes areas on both sides of the road accessed from White Pine trailhead.

The closure includes everything within 1 km of a target. This includes ridgelines and a portion of the backside. A closure is not a recommendation. Closures are enforced by Salt Lake County Ordinance 13.12.010 – Closed or unsafe areas and Town of Alta Ordinance 5-4-1: Authority to prohibit outdoor. Violators are subject to arrest.

If the opening is going to be later than 8:30 a.m., UDOT will post updates.

Backcountry closures will be announced by 8 p.m. the night before anticipated closures. Sometimes the weather serves up surprises, and it’s possible that a planned closure won’t happen or that plans will change in the middle of the night. But every effort will be made to finalize a plan the night before and stick with it.

Announcements will be made on Twitter (#UDOTavy)

The Utah Avalanche Center (#UACWasatch) will retweet the UDOTavy message.

Backcountry road closures will be announced in the SLC advisory and in the Dawn Patrol Hotline

]]>http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/access-denied-new-udot-restrictions-stir-frustration-little-cottonwood-canyon/feed/0Mountain Skills: Good, Better, Beacon Practicehttp://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/mountain-skills-good-better-beacon-practice/
http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/mountain-skills-good-better-beacon-practice/#commentsThu, 01 Dec 2016 15:19:41 +0000http://backcountrymagazine.com/?p=14778We all know we should practice avalanche rescue more, but making it happen can be a sizable hurdle. Sometimes we try to bust out a couple laps in “search mode” at the beginning of the season to dust off the cobwebs. Other times, we’re lucky enough to have access to a beacon park at the local resort, presenting a chance to practice our skill set before heading to more dangerous terrain.

]]>We all know we should practice avalanche rescue more, but making it happen can be a sizable hurdle. Sometimes we try to bust out a couple laps in “search mode” at the beginning of the season to dust off the cobwebs. Other times, we’re lucky enough to have access to a beacon park at the resort, presenting a chance to practice our skill set before heading to more dangerous terrain.

But how do we know if we are sufficiently prepared for the season ahead? Finding a beacon placed six inches deep in a simulated burial does not necessarily translate to performing a successful real-life rescue. Here are a couple of ways to continue building skills until they become second nature.

Know Your Motivations

Beer

When heading out for a backcountry adventure, you might also be packing a cooler of frosty malt beverages for the tailgate après. Stick an old beacon in the cooler, bury it in the snow bank and then try to find it when you return to the parking lot. Your thirst will provide extra motivation for a quick recovery.

Football

Go buy a $10 Nerf football and cut it in half lengthwise. Then, hollow out an area to fit a beacon inside. Tape the two halves back together with duct tape and chuck the football (with transmitting beacon) over your shoulder into the powder and go find it.

This is a great way to practice by yourself. For bonus points, do it on a long, steep slope where you can throw the football out of the range of your searching beacon, forcing you to start with a true signal search and zig-zag pattern.

Know Your Tools

Avalanche rescue is more than just beacon practice. You need to be good with your probe and shovel, as well. The beacon gets you close to your buddy; the probe confirms his or her location; and shoveling will likely be the most difficult and time consuming part of the rescue effort.

Don’t be a Dummy—Get One

To practice probing, try to find an old CPR dummy from your fire department or EMS. If this proves difficult, take your old ski outfit from the back of the closet and fill it with rags, towels, newspaper or whatever else you can find. Bury this homemade dummy in the backyard, at the trailhead or somewhere else where you and your buddies can access it easily and repeatedly.

Practice quick assembly of your probe and drive it through the snow, being diligent about using the two-hand method and spiral technique until you hit the dummy. Remember, this session is about determining the difference between a rock, bush or ground and your buried friend. Pay attention to the feel of different probe strikes.

Got a big storm coming? Throw your dummy or an old backpack out in the yard and let it get buried. After slaying the pow all day, come home and probe the area until you find your target.

Digging can be difficult and tiring, so honing technique is key. [Photo] Courtesy Steve Banks

Dig Deep

For shoveling, a plowed up snow bank in a parking lot is a good substitute for avalanche debris. If you find old avalanche debris, pull out your shovel and see what it’s like, but if you don’t regularly see avalanche debris, you are probably making good decisions out there, so try this:

Find a big snow bank, like the one the plow just buried your truck in. Drive two avalanche probes into the snow six feet back from the edge, six feet apart from each other and up to the 120cm mark on your probe.

Now practice your strategic shoveling with the goal of finding just the tips of the two probes. This represents your buried buddy, not higher on the probes or deeper in the snow bank.

Remember the keys to strategic shoveling. 1) Start back or downslope 1.5 times the burial depth; think about tunneling down and into the debris, not straight down on top of the “person.” 2) With multiple shovelers, work shoulder-to-shoulder chopping at the snow and clearing it to the side and downhill. 3) Use the conveyer-belt method to push snow from the front shovelers to the back shovelers, clearing debris farther to the side with each person and rotating through positions every minute like a defensive hockey line.

More is Better

Challenge yourself with multiple burials to help improve your single searches and to prepare for the worst.

Gather up all the beacons in your group and do the standard beacon-in-the-glove method or one of the above ideas.

See who can find the most beacons in two minutes, three minutes and/or five minutes.

Now try it again, but when you find the first beacon, hit the marking/flagging button and then do 20 jumping jacks and 10 push-ups to represent the effort of shoveling before moving on to find the next beacon. Repeat and see how this effects your time and accuracy.

Bottom Line: The more you practice, the more it will feel like second nature if the time comes for a real rescue. Carry your beacon even when skiing inbounds, as most ski patrols have some sort of beacon park available to the public; even five minutes each time on the hill will help. Seek out professional instruction—many avalanche centers will do a free avalanche rescue seminar sometime during the winter. Hire a guide or avalanche-course instructor to put you and your buds through a one-day avalanche-rescue course. Split between four or five friends, the cost of a semi-private course is nothing compared to the repercussions of not being ready.

—

Steve Banks is an IFMGA/AMGA mountain guide based in Crested Butte, Colo. where he is the Director of Mountain Guide Operations at Irwin Guides. He has been a professional ski patroller and a forecaster and director of the Crested Butte Avalanche Center and is currently an Instructor Team member for the AMGA.

]]>http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/mountain-skills-good-better-beacon-practice/feed/1Free to ski: In film “Liberarsi” four Italian stallions ski big lines every damn weekendhttp://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/free-ski-film-liberarsi-four-italian-stallions-ski-big-lines-every-damn-weekend/
http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/free-ski-film-liberarsi-four-italian-stallions-ski-big-lines-every-damn-weekend/#respondWed, 30 Nov 2016 19:00:00 +0000http://backcountrymagazine.com/?p=14760We have all seen our fair share of ski flicks, but it’s especially inspiring when a film documents the achievements of everyday skiers and riders, not just the pros. And Liberarsi, a film out today, looks to achieve this regular guy/gal feel.

]]>We have all seen our fair share of ski flicks, but it’s especially inspiring when a film documents the achievements of everyday skiers and riders, not just the pros. And Liberarsi, a film out today, looks to achieve this regular guy/gal feel.

For the making of Liberarsi, a team of four Italian skiers—Luca Zanette, Luca Zattoni, Federico Chiappino and Francesco Salamone—under the self-named group “Every Damn Weekend” and in conjunction with FATMAP, a mobile, 3D mapping platform for skiing and outdoor sports, decided to document the skimo lifestyle in the Alps. Through covering big, aesthetic lines, they convey the message that you don’t have to be a professional skier to tackle serious ski mountaineering lines; all you need is passion and drive.

We caught up with FATMAP employee and Director/Producer of Liberarsi Adam Robinson to learn more about the making and vision for the film. Here is what he had to say.

Backcountry Magazine: What was the impetus for producing a film about skimo culture?

Adam Robinson: To use a line from the guys directly, “Steep skiing is the purest form of mountain research.” For us, that idea really brings the adventure back into skiing. These guys are finding these steep and inaccessible lines all over the Alps that require real talent and skill to tackle. Every time you’re looking at a line that involves mandatory rappels and class-five climbing, it doesn’t matter how talented a skier you are, you still need the mix of both disciplines. When you have a group of talented ski mountaineers who really trust each other getting out to the mountains every weekend, then you get magic. A mix between adventure, aesthetic lines and a mastery of steep skiing techniques really shows viewers how beautiful and challenging the mountains can be. I think this film is totally different to freeride/freestyle films. Obviously there’s room for both, but rekindling that spirit of adventure is really powerful for us.

BCM: How did you pick your athletes for the film?

AR: This question is key to the central narrative of the film, and we hope this theme signals a change in the wave of films we can expect to see in the coming years. The group of guys you see in the movie band together under the title of “Every Damn Weekend.” The name says it all. These guys are not pro skiers. These guys have real jobs. They work in hospitals and offices, and they don’t live their lives waiting for the next phone call to be whisked away in helis by Red Bull. When work finishes at 5 p.m. on a Friday, it’s go time for these guys. Every damn weekend is about getting to the mountains as much as possible and finding these aesthetic lines that are on their doorstep. In the movie you’ll see some clips of them hitting Norway, but it’s all about what they can access on the weekend. It’s refreshing to see the determination to go tackle huge objectives and get back into the office by 9 a.m.

Screenshot from film Liberarsi.

BCM: How/where was the film shot?

AR: It was shot primarily in the Alps. As I said, there’s some shots of the Lyngen Alps in Norway, but they don’t need to go any further than their backdoor to be in the mountains.

The film focuses on some of their key lines; Noire North Face in Chamonix, the Marbrée on the Italian side Mont Blanc and, of course, the Matterhorn’s east face in Zermatt. How it was shot I think is a real triumph. It’s mostly all GoPro shots with some stellar drone work from our friends at DroneAlps. This combination is how we’ll keep making movies together and how many incredible movies are being made at the moment. The quality of ski movies—skimo or not—is skyrocketing. I think you’ll start to see a real juxtaposition between the super high-quality video and the raw footage. For me, adventures have much more personality, and I feel I can connect on a much deeper level when it’s POV and shot by the guys themselves. Tech is helping us get those killer shots we all know and love, too.

Screenshot from film Liberarsi.

BCM: Did you focus on skimo culture in any particular region of the Alps?

AR: These guys are Italians and they have a very particular approach to the mountains. They go for the big objectives and super aesthetic lines. So you could say that it’s about Italian skimo culture in a way, but that was never the intention of the film. I’d say we focused more on the challenge of skiing the Matterhorn. You know, it’s rarely in condition and only a handful of people even attempt it a year. Liberarsi is about a group of normal guys who take on big objectives, because they are both talented and motivated by their passion for ski mountaineering. That’s what we want people to come away with.

BCM: How do you hope this will this inspire other skiers?

AR: We’ve all seen great ski films over the years and they inspire us, but I never feel like I could get to that level. It’s on a level of complete wonder rather than aspiration. You think, “That could be me.” But there are a whole bunch of talented ski mountaineers who don’t get the air time their adventures deserve. I hope this film will get people to push themselves to get out to the mountains more. To find their own objectives and get what we all should from the mountains.

]]>http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/free-ski-film-liberarsi-four-italian-stallions-ski-big-lines-every-damn-weekend/feed/0Backcountry Bulletin: December 2016http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/backcountry-bulletin-december-2016/
http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/backcountry-bulletin-december-2016/#respondTue, 29 Nov 2016 20:59:36 +0000http://backcountrymagazine.com/?p=14737Mountain ranges across the U.S. are starting to look the part of winter, and as the 2016/17 season begins to unfold, it's time brush up on avy awareness and start celebrating the backcountry community. To do so, we’ve listed regional events that focus on educational talks, film screenings, fundraising benefits and early-season races to get you geared up for the coming months.

]]>Mountain ranges across the U.S. are starting to look the part of winter, and as the 2016/17 season begins to unfold, it’s time brush up on avy awareness and start celebrating the backcountry community. To do so, we’ve listed regional events that focus on educational talks, film screenings, fundraising benefits and early-season races to get you geared up for the coming months.

]]>http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/backcountry-bulletin-december-2016/feed/0Mountain Skills: Understanding Alpha Angleshttp://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/mountain-skills-alpha-angle/
http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/mountain-skills-alpha-angle/#respondWed, 23 Nov 2016 15:00:01 +0000http://backcountrymagazine.com/?p=14673Picture this: You’re skiing across low angle terrain, but need to traverse below a steep open face with no cover. Your avalanche awareness bells start chiming, “Danger!” so you decide to ski out of your way to remain clear of the possible slide path. But there are no trees around to give clues about where you’ll be safe if it slides. So how far is “far enough” from the suspect slope?

]]>Picture this: You’re skiing across low-angle terrain, but need to traverse below a steep open face with no cover. Your avalanche awareness bells start chiming, “Danger!” so you decide to ski out of your way to remain clear of the possible slide path. But there are no trees around to give clues about where you’ll be safe if it slides. So how far is “far enough” from the suspect slope? The concept of “alpha angle” or “runout angle” can help you answer that question.

How Far Can That Avalanche Go?

Alpha angle is the incline of an imaginary line drawn between the start zone of a slide (its crown, or highest point) and the farthest toe of the resulting debris field. Alpha angles for “100 year” avalanches (i.e. the big ones) are typically in the 18- to 20-degree range, depending on the specific mountain range and other factors. Unless you have site-specific data showing otherwise, assuming a slide will go no farther than 18 degrees in a runout is generally the safe bet.

In the above illustration, it’s easy to see that you’re much better off in position “A” than in position “C” if the slope were to slide. But how do you know where you are in relation to alpha angle?

Alpha Angle vs. Slope Angle

Before we get into the details of applying alpha angle, it’s worth pointing out the distinction between alpha angle and slope angle. Both can be called on to help make informed decisions in avalanche terrain, but they tell us very different things. Slope angle—the inclination of the surface of the snow—can help you answer the question, “Could this slope slide?” Alpha angle can help you answer “Am I far enough from that slope to be safe if it does slide?”

We can measure both alpha angle and slope angle using the same type of instrument: an inclinometer.

What is an Inclinometer?

An inclinometer (a.k.a. clinometer or slope meter) is a device for measuring angles relative to a horizontal plane. In backcountry skiing, inclinometers are commonly used to measure slope angle. There are many different ways to measure slope angle with an inclinometer, but they mostly fall into one of three categories:

Contact Measurement: Rest the inclinometer directly on the surface of the snow, or on a ski pole on the surface of the snow.

Profile Measurement: Sight the profile of a slope when viewing it from the side, often from a distance to eyeball the slope angle.

Line-of-Sight Measurement: Look up or down a slope so your line of sight matches the surface of the slope. This is where alpha angle comes into play.

Some models of inclinometer allow measurements by all three of these common use modes. Others only support one or two. Each of the three has its applications in slope angle measurements for backcountry skiing.

Inclinometers for Alpha Angle

Alpha angle assessments require line-of-sight measurement mode. But you’re not measuring surface angle anymore; you’re sighting the angle of an imaginary line between you and a distant “target” (the avalanche crown, or the top of the suspect slope). You can’t do that with most inclinometer phone apps or pocket inclinometer cards, which only work for contact and profile measurement modes. And there are a few devices available that do work well for alpha angle assessments—and other line-of-sight measurements. One option is the Suunto PM-5 clinometer, but there are also many mirror-equipped compasses with a built-in clinometer feature, such as the Silva Ranger or Suunto MC-2 series. Check out the following diagram to see what these look like when sighting for alpha angle:

With both devices, your sighting “target” is the highest possible start zone of the suspect avalanche path. If you measure greater than 18 degrees of inclination to that point, then you could be in the firing line if a big slide lets go. If you get a reading of less than 18 degrees, you can be fairly confident you will be clear of even the biggest slide from the slope in question.

PoleClinometer: The “Quick Draw” Option

A newer product in the inclinometer world is the versatile and light-weight PoleClinometer ski pole inclinometer sticker kit. It’s little more than a sticker you put on your ski pole, but it allows incredibly quick—because it’s always in your hand—and surprisingly accurate, inclination measurements. New for the 2016/2017 season is a dedicated alpha angle feature. Check out points “C” and “A” in the diagram below to learn what it looks like when sighting for alpha angle with a PoleClinometer in the diagram.

To use the alpha angle feature, target a point at the top of a suspect slope, and dangle your pole so the red “18-degree line” on the sticker is in line with that point. The perceived shape of that line indicates if you’re closer or farther than 18 degrees from your sighting target. Reading the red line is easy: If it’s “frowning” (i.e. curved down) you’re closer than 18 degrees and could be vulnerable to a big slide. If it’s “smiling” (i.e. curved up) you’re farther than 18 degrees and should be clear of any slide from that slope.

Bottom Line: Obviously, alpha angle is not going to tell you everything you need to know to stay safe in the mountains, but it’s certainly a useful tool to add to your quiver for when you venture into avalanche terrain. Applying the rule of 18 degrees could be the difference between a fun day in the mountains and a multiple burial situation.

Grayson King is an engineer and longtime weekend-warrior backcountry ski junkie. After discovering the powerful role of inclinometers in avy safety, he invented PoleClinometer in an effort to make slope-angle measurements quicker and easier for everyone.

]]>http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/mountain-skills-alpha-angle/feed/0To Kingdom Come: A new backcountry organization forms in Vermonthttp://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/kingdom-come-new-backcountry-organization-forms-vermont/
http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/kingdom-come-new-backcountry-organization-forms-vermont/#respondTue, 22 Nov 2016 18:27:23 +0000http://backcountrymagazine.com/?p=14713In recent years, Vermont has been a breeding ground for backcountry community efforts and growth in the form of nonprofit aid with governance and access to skiable landscapes. The formation of the Vermont Backcountry Alliance has empowered backcountry communities and coalitions to unite across the state, and one of the most recent communities to jump on the backcountry bandwagon is based in the fabled northernmost part of the state, the Northeast Kingdom.

]]>In recent years, Vermont has been a breeding ground for backcountry community efforts and growth in the form of nonprofit aid with governance and access to skiable landscapes. The formation of the Vermont Backcountry Alliance has empowered backcountry communities and coalitions to unite across the state, and one of the most recent communities to jump on the backcountry bandwagon is based in the fabled northernmost part of the state, the Northeast Kingdom.

To learn more about the latest addition to the touring scene, we caught up with Michael Moriarty, council member for the Northeast Kingdom Backcountry Coalition (NEKBC). Here is what he had to say.

Backcountry Magazine: How long has NEKBC been a chapter of the Vermont Backcountry Alliance?

Michael Moriarty: Becoming an official chapter happened a few months ago—more or less while we were becoming a pilot chapter through the Catamount Trail Association (CTA) and the Vermont Backcountry Alliance (VTBC). We started the process for a proposal in the Willoughby State Forest area, particularly on Mt. Hor, so we just got word that we can go ahead with the project. We are organizing a work group and we will be starting to cut the ski lines that we have flagged out either this weekend or next weekend.

BCM: Why did NEKBC decide to organize?

MM: The Northeast Kingdom has a lot of terrain that people ski, and considering some of the stuff that has happened around illegal cutting, we saw that as something that was taking away from the potential of being able to ski in our area legally, so we wanted to help keep things above board.

When RASTA got off the ground and the CTA started to really consider the creation of the VTBC and ways that they could be involved, that was when our group started to think about how we could participate in this new community—especially considering all of the areas that we have out here to ski.

BCM: What role do you have with the organization?

I am on the NEKBC council. Technically my role is—along with being one of the council members—the secretary, and I am also in charge of communications. Right now we don’t have a chairperson. The person who was in that role moved out of state. Our vice chair is Knight Ide, who is big into the mountain bike scene and big into the backcountry ski scene, as well. He was one of the original guys who was interested in starting this organization. We also have Vivian Buckley who works at Burke Mountain Academy. She is our treasurer and on the council, and then we have a couple other local folks on the council. Ben Mirkin is on the council, and he is a professor of Mountain Recreational Management at Lyndon State College, which has been a great connection to have.

BCM: How has the community responded to the founding of this organization?

MM: It took us a while to get off the ground and running, given trying to figure out the chapter status with the CTA. It took well over a year, but while it was happening, the CTA helped us set up affiliation membership and so we saw a pretty good spike in member numbers initially, but we were in limbo for a while. Since then, we have been pushing harder and faster and getting the Willoughby State Forest project off the ground. We probably have over 50 people who are following us through Twitter and through our backcountry site on Facebook. At last count, we have 40-ish members who were affiliated with us when they signed up for CTA membership. That is pretty good considering the short amount of time that we have been advertising who we are and what we are about.

BCM: Is the work for the Willoughby project the first organized trail work you have led as an organization?

MM: We have two other projects that we have been working on that are on private land. One we are calling the Thompson Zone in Kirby, on the Kirby Mountain Road. There is a family who owns a fair amount of the ridge; there is a big piece of land out there, and they have always been interested in putting in some glades and some ski lines. So we did that last November, but we didn’t get any snow so we never actually skied it, so that is more or less ready to go. Just recently, another private landowner approached us to do a project out in East Haven, Vermont, which is northeast of East Burke. That happened last weekend.

BCM: How many people on average show up to trail work days?

MM: That is obviously based on availability, but I want to say on average about a dozen people. The great thing about having Ben running the outdoor program at Lyndon State is that he can weave trail work into his curriculum. He develops his courses, which are all experiential, and students come out to help us with the work.

BCM: What kind of clearing do you have to do?

MM: We do use some power tools for blowdowns and brush cutters or hand tools, but as far as cutting of live stuff we are super conservative and we follow the CTA and forester guidelines developed down in Rochester by RASTA.

BCM: What is exciting about the new Willoughby project?

MM: The great thing about Willoughby that really got us excited is that the infrastructure is already there. If you think about taking trips up to the Chic-Chocs, you can access stuff right from the road. With the Willoughby State Forest, particularly Mt. Bartlett and Mt. Hor, in the wintertime, a cross-country network doubles as backcountry access, and that is all right there. People can park down low and then ski up what will eventually be ski lines off Mt. Hor and Mt. Bartlett. You will be able to skin up a road that in the winter is groomed for cross-country skiing, hit up the Herbert Hawks trail that goes to the summit of Mt. Hor and be able to ski lines off of that. Once you get back down to the cross-country ski track there will be other lines to access, as well. All of that will be around 1,500 vertical feet of ski descent.

BCM: What are some of the key partnerships that have helped this process along?

MM: The Vermont Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation is doing work on infrastructure with putting in new facilities. There will be a bigger parking lot and bathroom facilities; that work will be happening this winter. There are a lot of moving parts, but it will be a lot of fun. And David Goodman’s book has a little blurb in there about Mt. Hor and some of the stuff you can ski is already there, so that is a good start.

If you don’t like being outside in the Northeast Kingdom in the winter then you are in the wrong place, and I think people are excited to have more opportunities to get out and ski locally in the wintertime.

I think that the partnership with Parks and Rec, using their guidance, using their resources and having an open dialogue with them helps to build this backcountry community. The guys we are working with are very concerned with making sure that everything is done right and done well. We have just been following that guidance and moving forward.

]]>http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/kingdom-come-new-backcountry-organization-forms-vermont/feed/0Job Search: Utah Avalanche Center looks for someone to take on role of Executive Directorhttp://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/job-search-utah-avalanche-center-looks-someone-take-role-executive-director/
http://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/job-search-utah-avalanche-center-looks-someone-take-role-executive-director/#respondMon, 21 Nov 2016 19:47:32 +0000http://backcountrymagazine.com/?p=14703The Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) is one of the leading names in avalanche safety and education the world over, and the current Executive Director, Paul Diegel, has been an undeniable influence on the growth and success of the organization. But after 15 years, he is ready to retire.

]]>The Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) is one of the leading names in avalanche safety and education the world over, and the current Executive Director, Paul Diegel, has been an undeniable influence on the growth and success of the organization. But after 15 years, he is ready to retire. We caught up with Diegel to hear more about who he is looking for to take on the role of the incoming E.D. of the UAC. Here’s what he had to say.

Backcountry Magazine: Why are you looking for someone to fill this role?

Paul Diegel: I started working for the Utah Avalanche Center probably about 15 years ago. About nine years ago, I started working for the UAC as a paid contractor and then ultimately as an employee. My background was in engineering and small business consulting. When I first joined the center, it was an entirely volunteer run organization, but it was growing fast—fast enough that volunteers couldn’t keep up with it. And so I essentially created a job for myself where I was the only paid employee. I started to run business operations, and I have been doing that for nine years now, and I am getting ready to retire. So, I am looking for somebody to take over this position. In the last nine years we have grown the organization something like 10-fold in a period dominated by recession, when a bunch of nonprofits in Utah went out of business.

We have this tremendous business model; we have tremendous local support; we have lots of opportunities and a couple of employees now. But we’re looking for a new person to come in a take the reigns.

BCM: Why is it important for a candidate to have both an interest in skiing and avalanche education and also in business management and marketing?

PD: As cool as this organization is, we are still a nonprofit business. We pay rent for an office, we have to make payroll, we have to figure out where our people are going each day and we need to raise money. A big issue is figuring out how we support avalanche education. This is not just a government-funded program. The money does not just come in magically. We apply for foundation grants, we solicit personal donations. I spend most of my time essentially running a small business, and our product is avalanche safety, which is a cool product.

BCM: What suggestions would you give to a potential employee looking at this job?

PD: What I would say to that person is that this is a way to take your professional business skills and apply them in a totally different world—in the avalanche world. A future executive director will become the brains and the hands of this operation—it is their baby. For someone who is excited about small business, making a difference and being the boss and taking responsibility, it is a great way to achieve that and combine passion with business skills. And it is with a great team in a great industry.

BCM: What are the major perks of the job?

PD: The major perks are the sense of accomplishment, the ability to work with a fantastic team and the ability to not have any guilt put on you for taking a powder day. It is a very flexible schedule; we are a lot less busy in the summer. It is a year-round, full-time job, but there is a lot of flexibility in the off-season.

BCM: What kind of a learning curve will there be with avalanche education for this applicant?

PD: I think getting the knowledge to do the job well will be pretty easy. There is certainly going to be a learning curve, there is a lot to learn, and I do think we are going to require a future hire to come into this job with backcountry skills and passion, because they are going to need to be able to get out into the snow and move around and be credible. But they’re going to be getting a chance to take free classes, they are going to be hanging out with some of the world’s best avalanche experts that they will get to ski with and hang out on a skin track all day. They are going to be working in this environment every day, so they will very quickly get to be, if not avalanche experts, pretty close to it.

The other unique aspect of this is that the UAC is a partnership organization. So a big part of this is co-leading the organization with another individual who works for the Forest Service. And the job requires a lot of figuring out how to work collaboratively, and that has a lot of challenges, but it also has great power.

If you know how to run a business and run operations, and are excited about the snow, this could be a cool opportunity.